Productivity hacks for stay-at-home moms

Do you ever wish there were more hours in the day; but at the same time can’t fight the feeling that bedtime isn’t approaching fast enough? If this sounds like you then you are probably a stay-at-home mom. Being a stay-at-home mom is an amazing job but can also be one of the most difficult.

There are many challenges that come with this vocation, including trying to balance your family’s schedule with your own personal schedule. Many moms feel like they are constantly racing against the clock and never seem to have enough time for themselves.

What can you do? We have compiled some tips and tricks so that you can be more productive while still caring for your family and really maximize your day for the better.

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Table of Contents

Productivity hacks for moms

1-No, you don’t need to get up at 5AM (but you can if you want)

If you are a morning person, great! A lot of us aren’t and you don’t need to become one to be a good mom. I have been told time and time again that getting up early is the key for a productive day. And while it may be for some people; I am here to tell you that you can still have a productive day if you get up at the same time as your kids, or even just waking up 10 minutes before they do can make a big difference.

Everyones circumstances are different. Some parents have kids that sleep through the night and they have no problem getting up early, but some parents are dealing with frequent night waking from babies and toddlers. That extra hour of sleep in the morning may help them be more productive later rather than getting up earlier to be productive.

If you are able to get up just 10 minutes before the kids that is better than nothing. This give you a few minutes of peace and quiet to start some coffee and have a few minutes to yourself before the chaos begins.

2-Create a morning and night routine

This is something that I can’t recommend enough! Create a morning and night routine that you look forward to. That is the key part. You won’t stick with a routine if it is something you are dreading.

Whether you get up early in the morning to tackle some tasks before the kids wake up or you wake up with the kids and do them together, have a routine!

Your morning routine may look like this:

- Throwing on your favorite comfy sweatshirt and starting a pot of coffee
- Start one load of laundry
- Empty the dishwasher from last night(we start ours after dinner cleanup)
- Make your bed

(These are all tasks that you can complete in under 15 minutes and it will help you feel productive first thing in the morning)

Now time to tackle the kids!

- Have a fun independent activity they can focus on while you make breakfast. Independent play is an important skill for kids to learn.
- Turn some music on and have a cleanup party after you have eaten
- Get the kids dressed and teeth brushed
- Go for a walk around the neighborhood and maybe stop at the park
- Head home for lunch and nap time

This is an example of a schedule that our family follows on a daily basis. It is something that I look forward to and it is made simpler by knowing what to expect.

Our night time routine looks something like this:

- Make dinner as a family or utilize screen time to do it in peace
- Quick kitchen clean up after dinner while one parent plays with the kids
- Bedtime for the kids (bath, books & bed)
- Evening pickup around the house to prepare for the morning
- Relaxing time for the adults

I can’t stress enough that keeping your day and night routines as simple and stress free as possible is key. Have it be something that you and your family look forward to everyday.

3-Easy meals are your friend

one pot, crock pot and sheet pan meals are going to be your best friend. When running around chasing kids all day long the last thing you want to be doing is a million dishes after dinner. At least I know I don’t.

Minimize the after dinner cleanup by prepping dinner during nap time or even in the morning if you are doing a slow cooker recipe. It’s always fun to try out new recipes but sometime those can be time consuming, so I like to save those for the weekends or days where I have more time on my hands.

Save yourself some time and stress by scrolling Pinterest for some yummy one pot recipes that your family will love. The best part is they usually make enough for leftovers for the next day!

4-Create a daily schedule or to-do list the night before

By the end of the day you have a pretty clear picture in your head of the things you wearn’t able to accomplish that day and what you would to do tomorrow.

I like to spend 10 minutes while laying in bed watching Netflix to write my to-do list for tomorrow. You can check your calendar and make sure you aren’t forgetting any appointments and plan out the day with your kids.

Write down the tasks that are urgent and the tasks that you would like to get done but aren’t as pressing, that you can do if time allows.

I have found it really helpful to do this at night instead of in the morning because that way I can just jump into the new day instead of thinking about the things I need to do because I already have it written down.

Successfully managing a household as a stay at home mom is not an easy task. It takes organization, time management and dedication to your family.

So let’s do it together!

5-Set your priorities for the day

I look at stay-at-home mom life like a triangle. Being a good mom, cleaning, and working are my three points of that triangle. I know I’m usually only going to get two out of those three things accomplished in one day. Motherhood will always come first, so cleaning and working are usually competing with one another and sometimes one makes it to the chopping block.

By setting your priorities for the day; you are setting the intention that motherhood is number one and you need to decide which will also be the priority between cleaning and working. This doesn’t mean that one will be neglected completely but will instead be put on the back burner so you can focus on your main priorities.

You can switch these up from day to day so that everything is getting accomplished while allowing designated time to focus on each.

6-Pick a day to plan for the week

Having a plan for the week keeps things less stressful and more organized. Pick a day to sit down with your partner, family or just by yourself to plan out meals, activities or appointments for the weeks and make sure you have a plan in place.

You probably won’t and don’t need to follow this plan 100% but its always nice to have something to refer back to.

By planning out meals you are able to put together a grocery list so it’s not a free for all when you go to the store. I find myself much more likely to cook a meal that I have planned out and shopped for.

When I don’t create a meal plan for the week we end up ordering out much more than I would like to. Eating out is not bad, its easy. But work it into your weekly schedule so you don’t feel bad about it when you do.

7-Work when you are the most productive

This seems obvious but something most of us probably don’t do. Whether you are working from home or trying to get household tasks done, try and do it when you are the most productive.

This will be different for everyone. Some people are productive first thing in the morning and others become more productive when the sun has set. Whatever time that may be to you carve out some time to tackle some work because your motivation will be at it’s highest.

8-Have a cleaning routine that you can stick to

Cleaning may feel like a never ending job for stay-at-home moms. We are constantly cleaning it seems. By putting a cleaning plan in place it allows you time when you know cleaning is necessary and it times during the day where you let things go without the guilt.

9-Be okay with not getting it all done (that’s what tomorrow to-do list is for)

At the end of the day, try not to stress about what you didn’t accomplish today. It will all be waiting for you in the morning. This is where your to-do list for tomorrow comes in handy. When we try to do everything this will only lead to burnout a whole lot faster.

Try to get the important things done and don’t stress about the rest. If they get done, great. But if not, there is always tomorrow. Your mental health is much more important. Spending time with your family should be number one.

10-Try to get some sleep

Its hard as busy moms to get some sleep especially if you have little ones waking up throughout the night. And it can be hard to get to bed early when the evenings may be the only time you have without the kids. Sleep is hard for moms.

Im sure i’m not the first person to tell you how important sleep is. It can be the key to more productive days, mental clarity and more positive mental health. It may be hard to prioritize sleep but once you do it will make all the difference. Start with trying to get to bed an hour earlier.

Boost your productivity as a stay-at-home mom

Being a stay-at-home mom is no easy job! There are so many different parts that need to be balanced. Hopefully these tips can help you achieve a healthy work-life balance. Are there any productivity hacks that have worked for you? Let us know in the comments below!